Push
by I-miss-chocolate
Summary: Jess gets injured on her day off when she stumbles across an anomaly. Will it be the push Becker needs to finally admit his feelings?


_Hi again! I'm back, with some more Jess/Becker for you. This one is shorter, so I just decided to do it as a big one shot. I'm not happy with the title, but I am horrible with those, and this is all I could think of. Hope you like it! :)_

_**Spoilers**: Minor for series 5 I guess_  
_**Summary:** Jess is injured. Will it be the push Becker needs to finally make a move?  
**Rating**: Could probably be a K, but I'll play it safe and say T  
_

* * *

Becker dropped the reports he was reading on his desk as the alert sounded throughout the ARC. He ran out of his office and headed to the hub, arriving with the rest of the team.

"Where is it?" Matt questioned as he reached the ADD, Becker right behind him.

Becker paused momentarily upon seeing someone else sitting there, forgetting that Jess was off today. He silently cursed, always hating when someone besides Jess was leading him as he worked. Then he instantly felt guilty for thinking that. He knew Jess had been working hard and deserved a day off, and Ben wasn't a bad coordinator, he just wasn't Jess. He forced Jess from his mind and focused on the mission. Shaking his head, he listened as the back up coordinator explained about the anomaly in the shopping center.

No creatures had been reported yet, but people were panicking because of the anomaly. Since the convergence, people knew about the anomalies, and that creatures could come through. This made their job easier in a way, Becker thought, since they didn't have to worry as much about people getting attacked. On the other hand, there were people that were curious, and tended to get in the way. He hoped there was nobody like that today. Nosy bystanders just got in the way, and someone could get hurt.

The team grabbed their gear and headed out. Ben told them as they drove that a creature had come through, but that the cameras weren't very good, so he couldn't tell what it was.

"It looks like some sort of large dog," he explained. "The immediate area has been cleared, so no reports of attacks yet."

"Keep us updated," Matt ordered. Becker stepped on the gas, increasing their speed.

When they pulled up in front of the mall, everyone jumped out of the truck and began unloading gear while Matt started discussing their plan. He and Becker would search for the incursion, Emily and Abby would evacuate anyone that may be left in the area while Connor locked down the anomaly.

Matt cursed as they were told them someone was approaching the anomaly and not running away.

As they left the vehicle and entered the building, a new voice appeared over the intercoms, startling them all.

"Hello?" Jess' voice called out quietly to them.

Becker faltered in his steps as he heard it. He gave a confused glance to the rest of the team. Everyone looked just as baffled as he was.

Suddenly Abby gasped as she remembered something. All eyes turned to her as she spoke. "She told me she was going shopping today." Everyone turned towards the building, fear in their eyes.

Becker took off running, followed closely by the rest of the team, their plans forgotten.

* * *

Jess adjusted her bags as she left the store, and headed for the next one. She was grateful when her day off came up, so she could have time to herself to try and figure out what to do about her situation. Her plan had been to shop and forget all about Becker for the day. He had been even more frustrating that normal, she thought as she walked to the next store. After the events of the convergence, he had started to show his emotions more, but then had backed off again, leaving her feeling confused and angry.

She thought that all the pretty clothes would take her mind off everything for awhile. All she had accomplished was buying several new skirts and a pair of shoes. She briefly wondered if Becker would like them, then cursed herself for thinking about him again.

Shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts, she continued on to the next store. Pausing to look at some dresses in a window, she smiled and decided not to think about work or Becker the rest of the day.

She managed it for another twenty minutes, until she heard a scream. She had just exited a shop, more bags in hand, when some people ran past the doorway in a panic. She heard someone scream again, and ran towards the direction of the noise. She was bumped into by other shoppers, all running towards the exits. "What's happening?" she questioned someone that brushed past her.

The woman didn't slow, just turned her head back to mutter something about a ball of light and a wild animal as she ran past.

Jess paled and began running again, telling people to exit the area as she headed towards the noise. Around a corner she spotted the anomaly, glimmering in the air in front of her. She was glad to see everyone had fled the vicinity. Looking around carefully, she searched for the creature that must have come through. She breathed a sigh of relief as it was nowhere in sight.

Remembering something, she dropped her bags and dug around her purse. She grinned when her hand closed around the small intercom. Sliding it into her ear, she activated it, grateful to hear the team talking to each other and the back up coordinator.

"Hello?" she called out.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then she heard Becker reply, sounding out of breath.

"Jess? Where are you? Are you alright?" He questioned.

"I'm fine. I'm looking at the anomaly," she answered. "Second floor, east wing of the shopping center," she directed, then stopped talking as she realized the coordinator had probably already told them that information.

"And the incursion?" Matt questioned.

"I don't see anything, but a woman said something about a wild animal. The immediate area seems to be clear, but I'm taking a closer look."

"No!" Becker ordered. "You are unarmed, Jessica. Get out of there, and wait for us somewhere safe."

"Becker's right, Jess. Find somewhere to hide," Abby agreed.

"Alright," she said. She took a look around before naming a nearby store she would wait in. She headed for the store, full of kitchen gadgets, and stopped to pick up a knife from a display before walking towards the back.

"We're on our way," Matt said.

She had just ducked behind a counter when a noise made her jump in surprise. Turning, she saw a large creature across the store from her. It growled again, and took a step closer.

Shaking, she gripped the knife handle tightly in one hand, and spoke quietly to the team. "I found the creature," she whispered. "It's a Hyaenodon," she said, recognizing the creature the team had encountered before.

It advanced slowly towards her, and Jess tried to think of her next move. She heard Becker and Matt telling her to run, but she was frozen with fear.

Realizing that she was dead if she didn't try to escape, she stood and ran quickly. She heard the creature pursuing as she left the store and turned the corner. Standing in front of the anomaly, she froze as another one stepped out of the golden light. Before she could think of something, the first creature leapt at her. She ducked, feeling it narrowly miss her as it tumbled through the anomaly with a growl. She turned to face the second one, which had circled around when she was distracted, and panicked as she realized she was now between it and the anomaly.

"We're almost there Jess," she heard in her earpiece, but she knew they would be too late as the creature leapt at her.

She cried out as it hit her, knocking them both back through the anomaly.

* * *

The growling noise carried over the earpieces with her voice, causing the team to run faster to get to her. As they moved, the field coordinator said he saw a woman standing by the anomaly, trapped by two creatures.

Becker passed the rest of them, pushing himself as much as possible to reach her. He told her they were close, and panicked when she didn't answer. A moment later, a scream was heard, echoing in their ears and from just ahead of their location.

He skidded to a stop as he rounded a corner, followed by everyone else. The team paused, looking around. The anomaly was in the hall before them, but there was no sign of Jess or the creatures. They contacted Ben, but he said there was interference on the cameras, and he hadn't seen what happened.

"Jess?" Becker called out, looking around. He walked around carefully, weapon raised as he began searching along with everyone else. Abby entered the store she was supposed to be in, coming right back out to tell everyone it was empty. Becker felt his fear build rapidly as they couldn't locate her, fighting back the terrifying thoughts going through his mind.

Emily shouted out a few moments later, making everyone turn to her. She was standing in front of the anomaly, looking at the ground. Becker ran over, his heart pounding.

Looking down, he felt as if his heart stopped as he spotted the drops of blood on the tiled floor. "Oh, God," he whispered, staring at the light before him.

* * *

Jess pushed the creature off her with a cry of pain. It had landed on top of her, hitting the blade she carried. Standing slowly, she cautiously kicked at it, confirming it was dead. She glanced around, taking in her new surroundings. She had landed on hard ground, and could see nothing but dirt and rocks everywhere. The sun blazed down on her, a stark contrast to the cool building she was in moments ago.

Looking around, she tried to spot the other creature. Knowing it couldn't have gone far; she raised her knife, and searched for the anomaly. She spotted it after a few seconds, up a small embankment. Glancing around once again for more creatures, she started towards it, wincing as pain shot up her leg. Taking a moment to assess herself, she noticed her ankle swelling up, a small gash on her shoulder from the creature's claws, and several scrapes all over her exposed skin.

Pushing the pain out of her mind, she moved as quickly as possible towards the glowing light, praying it would stay open. Just before reaching it, she heard a noise behind her that made her cringe. Turning with her weapon raised, she spotted another Hyaenodon behind her. Making a decision, she turned and ran for the anomaly. She cried out as the creature attacked, latching onto her leg. She fell to the ground as it moved, dragging her backwards.

Screaming, she kicked out, trying to free herself. She gave a small cry of victory as it howled in pain, her heel connecting with its jaw. As it released her, she jumped up again, running for the anomaly.

Shaking off its pain, the creature attacked again. It launched at her, knocking her down. Crying out in pain, Jess fell to the ground as its claws dug into her flesh. She flailed for her knife, realizing it had been knocked from her hand as she fell. Panicking, she reached blindly for anything to fight it off with.

Just as her hand landed on a rock, the creature yelped and fell to its side. Stunned, Jess could do nothing but lay still, the pain taking over. A second later, the blinding sun was blocked as a shadow fell over her. Confused, she glanced up, shocked when Becker appeared above her.

He knelt down, gently cradling her in his arms. "Jess?" He called out, panicked as he saw her blood stained clothes. "Jess, can you hear me?"

She moaned, trying to focus. Becker couldn't be here, she thought. "What are you doing here?" She whispered. "Against the rules," she muttered, shock setting in.

Becker's momentary relief at finding her dissipated as her eyes fluttered closed. "Jess!" Becker called again. He adjusted the weapon in his hand so he could pick her up. As he began to lift her, he was knocked backwards by a creature that had crept up on them while he was distracted. He tumbled back, his gun falling to the ground as he wrestled with the beast. Feeling its sharp claw dig into his arm only angered him, and he lashed out, hitting it repeatedly.

Jess forced her eyes open at the noise beside her, and cried out for Becker. He was on his back, wresting with the creature. Forcing herself up, she used the last of her strength to reach for the weapon lying beside her. She winced as it sliced open his arm, just as her hand closed around the gun. She tried to focus, the pain making it hard to see straight, and pulled the trigger. As it collapsed to the ground, she felt her strength vanish, and she let the darkness take her under.

Becker heard a familiar blast, and the creature dropped to the ground. He glanced up in surprise to see Jess holding his EMD, pointing it in their direction. His pride at her shot was quickly replaced with fear as she dropped the weapon and collapsed to the ground again. "Jess!"

He ran back over, and gathered her carefully into his arms, trying to control his fear at all the blood covering her body. Reaching the anomaly, he jumped through, yelling for Connor to lock it.

The scientist complied, locking the anomaly with a few clicks of his computer before turning to join everyone else. Becker gently placed Jess on the ground, pillowing her head in his lap. Emily and Abby ran to a nearby store to grab some clothes they could use to stop the blood.

Becker barely listened, nodding numbly as Matt said the medics would be there any moment. He focused on the woman before him, her body bruised and bleeding. "Stay with me, Jess," he pleaded softly.

Her eyes fluttered open slightly, and she looked around, dazed. "Becker?" she whispered.

"I'm here," he answered, hopeful. "Hang in there, Jess, the medics are on their way."

She whimpered in pain again, her eyes slipping closed once more. He tried to rouse her again, but she didn't move. A few seconds later, medics appeared, forcing everyone to move back. Becker stood just behind them, watching anxiously as they worked. After checking her over, they carefully moved her to a stretcher and rushed her towards their ambulance.

Becker followed along with everyone else, watching with fear as they loaded her in.

He nearly jumped when Abby spoke from beside her. "Go with them," she said softly.

"What? No, I need to stay here, make sure everything is secure," he started to argue.

Abby crossed her arms and glared at him. She decided to fight dirty since he was going to be stubborn. "Do you really want her to wake up in a hospital alone?"

Becker sighed. He glanced at Matt, who nodded at him. "Go. We'll take care of everything here. There is no more sign of an incursion, and the anomaly is locked. Besides, you need to get that arm looked at."

Becker glanced down; surprised to find a large gash on his arm, blood flowing freely. He nodded before calling out to the medics that he was coming. He hopped in and sat down where they told him to.

He watched helplessly while they worked on Jess, praying silently that she would be alright.

They arrived at the hospital a few minutes later, and he jumped out of the vehicle to run behind the stretcher as the medics rushed her into a room. He was ordered to stay out by a nurse, so he chose to stand just outside and watch from the window while the doctors took care of her.

"Becker?"

He turned to find the team standing there with anxious expressions. "Any news?" Matt questioned as they came to stand beside him.

Becker just shook his head, not taking his eyes off the woman lying still on the bed.

"We should get your arm looked at," Abby started.

"No."

"She's in good hands; they'll take care of her."

He stood his ground; arms crossed, and simply ignored her.

"Becker, you're bleeding like crazy. What good are you to Jess if you pass out from blood loss?" Connor tried.

Becker rolled his eyes, before finally nodding. "Fine."

Emily went in search of a nurse, and returned after a few seconds. The nurse led him to a room down the hall, and sat him on the bed, telling him the doctor would be in soon. As his arm was cleaned and stitched up, his eyes kept flicking to the door, wondering what was happening.

As soon as he was done, he jumped off the bed and returned to his team. Glancing in the window, he noted that it was still full of hospital staff.

They all watched silently as Jess was being worked on. They were only mildly surprised when Lester appeared, and joined their silent vigil. Several nurses had tried to get them to move to a waiting area, but they refused, not budging until a doctor exited the room.

Everyone turned to him, hoping for good news.

"Miss Parker lost a lot of blood, we've given her a transfusion to try and replace as much as possible. The wounds on her abdomen weren't that severe, but did require several stitches along with the wound on her leg. She has a broken ankle, but thankfully it was mild. She'll require a wheelchair or crutches for four to six weeks until it heals fully. We're going to keep her here a couple days so we can keep an eye on her, but we expect she'll make a full recovery."

The group let out a collective breath, relaxing visibly.

"May we see her?" Abby asked.

"Yes, but don't expect too much. We've given her some strong medication for the pain, and to help her rest. She will most likely be unconscious until late tonight or possibly tomorrow."

"Thank you, Doctor," Lester said before shoving past everyone to enter the room first. He stood at the foot of the bed as everyone else entered. "So who wants to explain to me exactly what happened?" He demanded.

Everyone glanced around, not wanting to be the one to explain to Lester the events of the day. Finally, Matt cleared his throat and started talking. Lester listened as he was told that Jess had stumbled across the anomaly on her day off, and had gone to investigate. That led to her being attacked, and finally, Becker breaking his own rule about going into anomalies to bring her back.

Lester glanced at the soldier for a moment, studying the man. He seemed to come to a decision, and then nodded lightly. "Well, I believe Miss Parker needs her rest. And you all have reports to write."

They all agreed reluctantly. Everyone looked between Jess and Becker, seeing his hesitance. After a few seconds, Lester sighed loudly. "Captain Becker?"

"Sir?"

"Take the night off."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You've been injured; don't return to duty until tomorrow morning."

Becker stared at his boss in shock. "Thank you," he replied eventually.

Lester simply nodded, and headed for the door. "Let us know if anything changes," Matt said, walking to the door followed by everyone else.

"We'll come back up tonight, Becker," Abby said, patting his hand as she walked by. "And bring you some dinner."

He simply nodded, not taking his eyes off Jess as he pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down.

"See you later, Action Man," Connor teased before leaving quickly when Becker turned a glare on him.

Becker growled at the nickname, before turning his attention back to Jess. He sat in the chair, simply watching her sleep. He replayed the events of the day in his mind, wondering what he would do if he hadn't saved her. His greatest fear was almost realized, losing another member of his team. After the last time, he'd shut himself off from everyone, forcing himself not to care. But the woman before him had changed that, working her way into his heart, no matter how hard he fought it. Thinking of how he risked his life and broke his own rule just to save her, he was struck by how much he cared about her.

* * *

A few hours and several arguments with himself later, Becker came to a conclusion. He decided he was tired of pushing Jess away. If she had died today, he would never get the chance to tell her how he felt, never experience the joy he knew she would bring to his life. He was so busy convincing himself it was for the best that they never got together, that he didn't think about what he would be missing. Realizing that he nearly missed a chance at happiness, he swore to make things right.

Becker was pulled out of his thoughts by the door opening and Connor and Abby entering. He glanced at the clock on the wall, surprised to see that several hours had passed.

"We brought you some food," Abby said, setting a bag on the bedside table.

"Thanks," he muttered, not looking up.

"Any changes?" Connor asked.

"Not really. The doctors have been in and out to check on her, but she's still asleep."

They only stayed a few minutes, wanting to let Jess rest. They said goodnight, and promised to visit again the next day. Becker thanked them again, and returned to his silent watch. He forced himself to eat the food they'd brought, but didn't do more than take a few bites. Setting it aside, he took Jess' hand in his, holding it lightly. "I'm sorry I was so stupid Jess," he whispered.

As he felt the exhaustion of the day catch up to him, he slowly lowered his head to the bed, resting it on his arm. He told himself he was only going to rest his eyes for a few moments as they slipped close, but was soon fast asleep.

* * *

A steady beeping noise worked its way into Jess subconscious, and she opened her eyes slightly to see the cause of it, and then jolted when her memory of the day returned. She opened her eyes wider to see she was in a hospital, covered in bandages and hooked up to a monitoring device, the source of the beeping. She tried to lift a hand to rub her sore head, but realized it was trapped by something. Looking down, she was stunned to see Becker, sleeping soundly, leaning over in a chair. His hand was holding hers gently, his head resting on his other arm.

Unable to resist the urge, she reached down and gently trailed her fingers along his brow, sweeping back a bit of hair that had fallen out of place.

Becker jerked, lifting his head at the touch. He blinked a few times, letting go of her hand to scrub his face for a few seconds. His eyes widened as they fell on her and he noticed her looking back at him. "You're awake," he stated, relief in his voice.

Jess nodded lightly with a smile. "I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. "Sorry, stupid question."

Jess giggled, and then let out a small whimper of pain. "Ow."

Becker jumped up, alarmed. "I'll get the doctor."

"No, I'm fine," she started, but he was already out the door and heading down the hall. He returned a moment later, trailing a doctor.

He stood by the door as the man examined Jess, asking her a few questions, and then injecting something into her IV. "This will ease the pain and let you get some more rest," he explained.

"Thank you," she said. "When do I get to go home?"

The doctor chuckled at her eagerness. "Not for a day or two. We want to keep an eye on your wounds, make sure you don't get any infections."

Jess pouted, but nodded. "Okay."

The doctor nodded at him as he left, closing the door behind him. Becker moved back to his seat, taking her hand again. Jess looked to their joined hands, and then back to his face with curiosity. "Becker?"

"Sorry," he muttered, dropping her hand. "Uh, I should let you get some rest."

"Oh," Jess replied, looking intently at her blanket, trying not to show her disappointment. When she had woken to Becker holding her hand, she thought maybe he was done running. "Okay."

"Unless you want me to stay," he offered, suddenly looking nervous.

"Really?" she asked, smiling broadly. "I'd like that."

Becker grinned and took her hand again. She yawned, settling back into the pillows, letting the medicine do its job.

"Go back to sleep, Jess."

"Goodnight, Becker."

"Night, Jess," he said, smiling back at her as he settled back in his chair. He watched her sleep for another few minutes, before letting himself relax and drift off again.

* * *

Becker woke early, his body used to getting up at a certain time. Looking up, he was glad to see Jess still resting. Carefully extracting his hand, he stood and stretched, his body protesting the night spent in an uncomfortable chair. Glancing at the clock, Becker realized he needed to be at work in an hour.

Looking back to Jess, he felt bad for having to leave her to wake up alone. Thinking of something, he left the room quietly, heading for the nurse's station. A nurse directed him to the gift shop, where he purchased some flowers, and the biggest chocolate bar they had. Creeping back into the room, he carefully filled out the card, leaving everything on the table for her to find when she woke up.

Jess woke slowly again; her eyes fluttering open as sunlight streamed in the window. She glanced around, sad to see she was alone. She brightened a bit when she saw a vase of flowers and a bar of chocolate on the bedside table. She reached for the card, and then winced as the stitches pulled painfully in her side. "Ow," she muttered to the empty room. She was about to try again when a nurse walked through the door.

"Good morning, Miss Parker. How are you feeling this morning?" She questioned. Reaching the bed, she checked Jess' IV, and various monitors she was attached to.

"A bit sore and tired, but not too bad, considering." Jess replied.

The nurse nodded, making some notes in a chart. "Good. Would you like something for the pain?"

Jess paused to think for a moment. Deciding she would probably get out of there faster with lots of rest, she nodded. "Thank you."

The nurse nodded, leaving the room for a moment. She returned with some medicine, pushing it gently into the IV. "Lovely flowers," she commented, glancing at them. "Who are they from?"

"I don't know," Jess admitted. "I wasn't able to get to the card yet."

The nurse smiled sympathetically. She walked to the flowers, gently picked up the card and handed it to her.

"Thanks." Jess beamed broadly as she read the note. Had to go to work. Will be back later. Hope you enjoy the chocolate (no orange) –Becker

"Boyfriend?" The nurse questioned with a grin.

Jess blushed before shaking her head. "No. Just a friend."

"He sure looked like more than a friend this morning," the nurse teased. "All that hand holding, now the chocolate and flowers."

"Really?"

The nurse simply nodded, grinning. "Get some rest. I'll come back check on you in a few hours." She showed Jess how to work the remote, and call the nurse's station if she needed anything.

Jess smiled, glancing back at her flowers. She couldn't help but feel hopeful. Becker had broken his own rule to come rescue her, stayed with her all night, and then brought her flowers and chocolate. As the medicine started to kick in, she drifted off with a small smile.

A noise brought her out of her dreams, and she glanced around, confused for a moment. She looked to the door, smiling as Abby and Emily walked in with flowers. They paused when they saw some sitting on the table already.

"We thought we'd brighten the place up, but it looks like someone beat us to it," Abby teased.

"Captain Becker?" Emily questioned.

She and Abby grinned when Jess blushed and nodded. "Aren't they lovely?"

"Very nice." Abby agreed. "How are you feeling?" She questioned as the women sat down.

"A bit sore, but better."

"Good."

"Hopefully I can go home soon, and get back to work. I don't like doing nothing," Jess stated with a pout.

"You need to make sure you get well, Jess. You do not want to injure yourself further," Emily warned.

"I know. I'm just bored."

"Well it's a good thing I brought this then," Abby said, picking up a bag Jess hadn't noticed before. She pulled out a laptop and handed it to Jess.

"Thanks, Abby!"

"No work," Abby warned before she released it fully. "You need to rest, and relax."

"Promise!" Jess declared, smiling. "Thank you."

"So," Jess started. "How was the rest of the mission? Was anyone injured? Did you get the incursion all taken care of?"

"Everyone else was fine. Becker's arm only needed a few stitches," Abby replied.

Jess' smile faded instantly. "Becker's arm?"

Emily and Abby looked at each other, wondering if they should say anything else since she clearly didn't remember the injury. Jess looked at them expectantly, so Emily spoke up.

"His arm was cut by one of the creatures, but like Abby said, he is fine."

Jess frowned, trying to remember. The details were still a bit hazy; thanks to all the medication she had been given. Then she vaguely remembered Becker being attacked.

She gasped as the image of the creature hurting him came back. "He could have gotten killed!" she exclaimed. "What was he thinking?"

Abby and Emily shared a knowing glance before grinning. "You really have to ask?" Abby questioned with disbelief. "That man would do anything for you, Jess."

Jess blushed, and suddenly found her blanket very interesting, causing her friends to chuckle. She looked back and stuck her tongue out at them. "I still can't believe he came for me," she admitted.

"Of course he did," Emily stated simply. "Captain Becker cares a great deal for you."

Jess blushed again. "He did stay all night," she revealed. "And got me flowers and chocolate," she said with a grin.

"Maybe this was the push he needed to quit being such an ass," Abby said with a grin.

"Abby!"

"What? It's true. That man has been making you, and the rest of us, crazy for months. About time he got his act together."

The women all shared a laugh, and then froze when they heard a familiar voice.

"What's so funny?"

They all looked to the door to see Becker standing there, Matt and Connor walking in behind him.

"Nothing," Jess said quickly.

"Right," Connor replied sarcastically. "How you doing, Jess?" He asked as he headed to Abby, giving her a light kiss.

Matt smiled at her as he walked over to Emily, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Better, thanks."

Becker watched as she eyed the couples with a longing look. Not wanting to do anything in front of their friends, he simply stood quietly by the edge of the bed and looked her over. "Did you get lots of rest?" He questioned.

"Yep. I haven't slept this much in ages," she joked.

Abby, sensing they would want to be alone rose from her chair. "We should get going," she said.

Jess looked away from smiling at Becker to see everyone else standing. "Oh, okay. Thanks so much for visiting, I was getting lonely. You'll come back later?"

"Of course. Feel better," Matt said, patting her hand gently.

The couples left, saying goodbye at the door.

Becker took one of the empty chairs, pulling it back to the edge of the bed. "Hi," he stated, finally relaxed a bit.

"Hi," she echoed. "Thank you."

He raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"For the chocolate and flowers. That was very nice."

"Oh. Right. I'm glad you liked them."

"And for saving my life," she said, quieter this time.

"You don't have to thank me for that, Jess. Ever."

"Yes I do," she started, reaching for his arm. She gently pulled up his sleeve to reveal the bandage. "You could have been killed," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes.

"It's just a scratch, really. I'm fine, promise."

Jess looked up, surprised by the emotion suddenly showing in his eyes. "I still don't know how I could ever thank you. You saved my life, again."

"I would do it again. I couldn't leave you there to die, Jessica." He answered, his voice growing serious. "I almost thought I'd lost you," he admitted after a few moments.

She reached out to take his hand, squeezing it tightly. "But you didn't."

"Just don't scare me like that again," he stated.

"I'll do my best," Jess joked, trying to lighten his mood. She glanced back at their entwined fingers with a smile.

"Jess?"

She glanced back up at Becker to see him watching her, a determined look in his eyes. "Yes?"

Becker opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find the words he wanted, but failed. Deciding actions speak louder than words, he leaned forward suddenly, pressing a gentle kiss to Jess' mouth. He forced himself to pull away after a brief second, looking at her. When she simply stared at him in shock, Becker began to question his actions. "Jess?"

Any further words were cut off as she leaned back towards him, kissing him. She lingered a bit longer than he did, before pulling back with a smile. She giggled at the shocked expression on his face.

Becker finally smiled, reaching a hand out to gently guide her back to him. They kissed for a few more moments before he forced himself to release her. "We should stop."

Jess looked up at him sadly so he continued quickly. "You need to be resting."

"I know. But this is much more fun," she pouted.

"I'm not going anywhere, Jess. This can wait until you are healed."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good. I'll hold you to that as soon as I'm out of here."

"I look forward to it," he replied with a wink.

* * *

_A/N: OK, I know I kind of leave it hanging, but I didn't want this to drag on. I have another story planned; I thought this would just make a nice one shot before going to the sequel._

_Please let me know what you think!  
_


End file.
